1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system including an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a multifunction peripheral, and a post-processing apparatus for performing post-processing after image formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming systems may include a post-processing apparatus for performing various kinds of post-processing on a sheet material having an image formed thereon by an image forming apparatus. As this type of post-processing apparatus, for example, there is known a sheet material binding apparatus including a stapler for binding a sheet material bundle formed of a plurality of sheet materials through use of a binding member such as a metal staple.
In a general sheet material binding apparatus, the sheet material bundle delivered from the image forming apparatus is automatically bound by the stapler (“automatic stapling”). On the other hand, there is a demand from users to bind the sheet material bundle through a manual operation (“manual stapling”) instead of the automatic stapling.
To meet the users' demand as described above, U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,156 discloses such a technology that the user manually inserts the sheet material bundle through a delivery port of the post-processing apparatus, to thereby bind the sheet material bundle with the stapler.
In the technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,156, when binding the sheet material bundle through the manual operation, the user needs to insert the sheet material bundle through the delivery port provided in a side surface of the post-processing apparatus. Therefore, there is a drawback in operability. From the viewpoint of enhancing the operability, it is conceived that the insertion port for the sheet material bundle is arranged in a front surface of the post-processing apparatus, which is highly accessible to the user.
In the configuration as described above, however, the position for automatic binding is different from the position for manual binding, and hence the stapler needs to be moved by a shifting mechanism. The shifting mechanism is a mechanism for shifting the position of the stapler while holding the stapler. Through the movement of the stapler, the sheet material bundle can be bound at various positions, but the user needs to wait during a period in which the stapler is moving. Therefore, there is a problem in that the work efficiency cannot be enhanced.
This problem arises in common to all the post-processing apparatus in modes that involve the movement of the stapler at the time of binding the sheet material bundle.
Further, when dedicated staplers are provided for the automatic binding and the manual binding, respectively, there is a problem in that the cost increases.